Lightning arrester is an important device for preventing lightning strikes and plays a very important role in the power system. In long-term operation, the performance and effectiveness of lightning arresters will be affected by external factors, causing them to gradually age and ultimately fail. Therefore, regular testing of lightning arresters is very necessary.

The lightning arrester online monitor is an instrument used in conjunction with lightning arresters in high-voltage AC power systems. The instrument is connected in series with the lightning arrester grounding circuit, and the milliampere meter in the monitor is used to monitor the effective value of leakage current through the lightning arrester under operating voltage. It can determine whether the inside of the lightning arrester is damp, whether the components are abnormal, and other situations. Next, this article will focus on introducing the online monitoring device for lightning arresters.

Lightning arrester online monitoring is a device used in conjunction with zinc oxide lightning arrester in high-voltage AC power systems. The device is connected in series in the grounding circuit of the lightning arrester, and the action counter records the number of overvoltage actions of the lightning arrester. So, what is its function?

1. The original lightning strike counter and on-site pointer leakage current indication functions have been retained.

2. The control room can directly observe the leakage current of each group of lightning arresters through automatic monitoring and alarm devices, and can send signals to the monitoring center.

3. The leakage current over limit alarm value can be set on the automatic monitoring alarm device, and once the leakage current abnormally increases, an immediate alarm can be triggered.

4. It can automatically monitor the number of counting actions of the lightning arrester counter.

5. It can intelligently distinguish and correct the increase in current caused by high environmental humidity and surface leakage of lightning arresters, and distinguish between surface leakage and internal leakage.

1. Protect electrical equipment

When conducting online monitoring of lightning arresters, using a zinc oxide lightning arrester tester for lightning protection testing will ensure that all structures, critical electrical and power equipment are not affected by lightning strikes.  

2. Reduce financial costs

Cost assessment is based on the planning, assembly, and maintenance expenses of lightning protection systems. If lightning arresters are not used and there is a lack of protection systems for zinc oxide lightning arrester testing devices, the annual total cost and potential damage cost of the lightning protection system will greatly increase.

Statistics show that the UK alone experiences approximately 2 million strikes annually. To ensure that your lightning protection system can function properly when needed, please remember that you cannot determine when any maintenance work should be carried out with appropriate convenience.

3. Reduce the burden on engineers

Proper testing and maintenance of lightning protection systems can become routine in the hands of experienced engineers, and lightning arresters are a necessary part of a comprehensive safety plan. The consequences of not taking measures may result in unnecessary costs.

4. Compensate for the drawbacks of manual testing

If the operational status of lightning arresters relies on regular manual inspections to ensure effectiveness, a series of drawbacks may arise, such as lag, missed detections, lack of evidence for accidents, and increased testing costs.